


Powerless

by kookykoi



Series: MCU Rare Pair Bingo 2019 [6]
Category: Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Light Angst, Marvel Rare Pair Bingo 2019, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Pre-Relationship, Rare Pairings, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-07-10 17:34:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19909567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kookykoi/pseuds/kookykoi
Summary: When the Avengers get hit with a spell that robs them of their powers, the two former most powerful Avengers commiserate together.





	Powerless

**Author's Note:**

> My next entry for the MCU Rare Pairs Bingo 2019. Prompt: no powers.
> 
> This hasn't been beta'd so all mistakes are my own. If you enjoyed this, please leave a kudos and/or a comment as these motivate me to write more!

This was Carol’s first visit to 177a Bleecker Street but it felt strangely familiar. Probably because the inside of it looked and smelled like an old museum; the kind of old museum where the exhibits came to life at night. When she first arrived, Wong had led her through a dizzying array of corridors and hallways, all of them lined with display cases filled with curiosities. Her head had already been swimming when she had arrived and now her head was dangerously close to capsizing.

Wong had brought her to the main library where Strange and Wanda were already hard at work, pouring over what looked like mountains of dusty books while looking for answers.

“I take it you haven’t found a cure yet,” she asked. She walked up to where the others were working and picked up one of the books. She leafed through the pages to find it wasn’t written in English. She put the book back where she had found it.

“Not yet, Captain,” Strange replied, giving her a hasty nod before going back to the book he was reading. “This isn’t something we’ve encountered before.”

This thing they had encountered was a magic-wielder who had the ability to rob the Avengers of their powers. The team’s own magic-wielders had immediately retreated to Bleeker Street to consult Strange’s extensive book collection for potential cures (because apparently the answers won’t be found on the Internet). Those on the team who didn’t rely on ‘special’ powers were out in the field trying to locate and apprehend the douchebag responsible. And the others? Well, they just kinda moped around, like Carol was doing right now.

“Anything I can do to help?” Carol offered. She picked up another book to find it was also not in English. 

“How are your tea making abilities?” Strange asked with a straight face.

Carol snapped the book she was holding shut, causing a loud enough noise to make Strange look up from his book. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. Wong made the last round, Wanda the time before that, and me before that. It’s someone else’s turn if they are feeling the need to be ‘helpful’,” Strange explained as he took the book from Carol and replaced it to its pile on the table.

Carol opened her mouth to protest some more when Thor came in carrying a large tray. On that tray was a few take-out cups from a nearby coffee shop and what appeared to be an array of pastries and cookies. “I have brought sustenance for all!” Thor’s booming voice filled the room and with it, brought much needed sighs of relief and a couple of smiles. 

Before Thor got much further, he was swarmed by Strange, Wong, and Wanda, who all offered the God of Thunder their gratitude as they took their share of the offered provisions. Despite the interruption, the three of them went back to their positions around the book table, drinks and snacks in hand.

Carol took a coffee for herself before seating herself on an old looking lounge chair that was away from where the team’s magic users were working. She held the coffee cup with both hands, letting the heat of the liquid inside permeate through and into her skin. The sensation of it acted like an anchor for her and stopped her thoughts from spiralling out of her control completely.

“How are you feeling?” Thor asked as he took a seat next to Carol. He held a cup of coffee in one hand and a sugared donut in the other.

“Lousy,” Carol replied. She hugged her arms around herself. “I just don’t like this feeling. This feeling of- of-”

“Helplessness? Uselessness? Weakness?” Thor listed off possible options for her since she appeared to be struggling to think of one herself.

She gave him a brief smile but shook her head. “You sound like a thesaurus.”

“A the-what?” Thor chuckled under his breath. “If you try to tell me that’s a wordy dinosaur, I will not believe you.”

It was Carol’s turn to let out a laugh, although it was nearly void of any real humour. “Alright, I won’t tell you that.”

“Because that’s what a thesaurus sounds like: a wordy, what do you call them? Dinosaur,” Thor continued. Despite their less-than-ideal situation, amusement danced in his eyes.

“Right?” Carol said, daring to let his demeanor lift her spirits a little. The lift didn’t last much longer than a handful of seconds and her mood began to sink down into the grimy depths again. 

Thor nudged her with his elbow. “This isn’t as terrible as it may seem.”

“It isn’t?” Carol questioned. “Because that’s how it feels.” 

“We’re still alive, that’s a bonus. And we still have-”

“If you say we still have each other, I will punch you.” Carol even balled up her fist, ready to prove her point. 

A wide grin stretched across Thor’s face. “But we do, we do still have each other and -ow!” He put down his coffee cup and donut and rubbed the spot where Carol had punched him on the arm.

“Oh, c’mon,” Carol said. “I didn’t even hit you that hard.”

“If wrestling is what it will take to cheer you up, I’m all for it. Except I think Strange would prefer if we went elsewhere before we start the rough-housing.” Thor glanced over at the good Doctor before leaning in towards Carol. “First time I came here, I smashed quite a lot of things. Don’t think Strange has forgiven me for it yet,” he whispered to her.

Carol managed a weak smile. With Thor this close, she detected the scent of fresh coffee and ozone-like smell that permeated the air after a storm coming off of him. The mixture of scents were heady and Carol didn’t mind that; she kinda liked it actually. 

“But what if smashing things is the only way to cheer me up?” She whispered back to him. Her question prompted another chuckle out of Thor, one that was loud enough to attract the attention of Strange.

“Whatever shenanigans you two are planning over that, don’t. Just don’t,” the Doctor called over to them without looking up from the book he was studying. Thor continued to laugh, a surprisingly gentle sound that seemed to lighten the atmosphere around them.

“Come,” Thor said, nudging Carol with his elbow. “Let us take a walk so we don’t cause any more disturbances.”

Carol nodded and got to her feet. Thor stood up and led the way out of the study, asking Strange to text or call Carol as soon as they found anything (Thor still didn’t have a smartphone). 

Thor somehow knew how to get out of the confusing hallways and corridors and soon they were stood on the sidewalk outside. Carol, for now, was content to continue letting Thor lead the way. He headed in the direction of Washington Square Park.

“Have you always been so optimistic?” Carol asked him as they walked, their feet nearly perfectly in sync as they hit the sidewalk despite the height difference between them. 

“I don’t like to dwell on the negatives,” Thor replied. “I did enough of that already over Thanos and I promised myself I wouldn’t do that again.”

Carol cast her mind back to when she first met Thor and the rest of the Avengers. Thor’s outlook back then was far from optimistic. “I prefer you when you’re optimistic,” she said before a wry smirk appeared on her features. “Even if it’s a little sickening.”

Thor chuckled. “Why is it sickening to look for the bright side?” 

“Life isn’t that sweet and light all the time,” she reasoned. 

Thor considered that for a moment before shaking his head. “If you don’t look for the light, how can you let it lead you to better times? I will never claim that life is easy but it isn’t always dark and gloomy. Even in the darkest of times, light can be found.”

“You sound like a fortune cookie.” 

They reached the park and started along a path that was bordered by fresh, blooming flowers. Bees and insects flew between the flowers, collecting pollen, while people used the park for picnics, jogging, dog walking, and other things. The air was filled with the sounds of all this life, all of it continuing on regardless of the struggles the Avengers now faced.

“What if we don’t get our powers back?” Carol asked, knowing full well Thor couldn’t provide a solid answer. 

“Then we don’t and life goes on.” Thor shrugged.

“And that doesn’t scare you?” She asked. 

They reached an empty bench and they both sat down together. Carol faced forwards, looking out over the park, while Thor turned to face Carol. 

“Of course it does,” Thor admitted. “I have had thunder and lightning coursing through my veins for centuries and the thought of it not being a part of me makes me want to weep.” His admission made Carol look at him. Somehow, he was still smiling at her. “But I will not allow misfortune prevent me from enjoying life. I allowed it once before and it nearly killed me. Never again.” 

Against all of her better judgment, tears brimmed Carol’s eyes. She had to look away from Thor as she tried to reabsorb the tears before they fell from her eyes. 

God, she hated how useless she felt without her powers. She hated that uselessness was now making her cry and be weak. She hated how dependent she had become on her gifts.

Thor took one of Carol’s hands and held it. “It’s OK to be scared and angry and distraught and all of the other things you’re probably feeling right now,” he said softly.

“No, it’s not,” she spat out. “I should be better than this.”

“Better than what? A person experiencing feelings? Isn’t that what you are, regardless of whether you have powers or not?”

“I should be better at controlling myself.” Carol sniffed and by sheer force of will, pushed the urge to break down into embarrassing sobs away. “I should be back there-” she pointed in the vague direction of 177a Bleecker Street “-helping the others instead of feeling sorry for myself on a park bench.”

“Or-” Thor said, angling his head so he could made Carol look him in the eyes as he spoke, “-you could allow yourself to deal with your feelings first, then go back and help.”

“Like you dealt with yours after Thanos?” The words were out of Carol’s mouth before she could stop them. “Shit,” she said quickly. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have-”

Thor held up his free hand, as if waving away her words. There was, however, a brief glimpse of something dark in Thor’s eyes. Carol didn’t know him well enough to tell what that something dark could mean. “Trust that I am speaking from experience. But you don’t have to take my advice if you don’t want it,” he said.

Carol looked away and let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders sagging after the exhalation. As much as she wanted to adopt Thor’s cheerier outlook, it wasn’t in her nature to do so. 

Thor released his hold on her hand and pulled her against him in a hug. A fresh wave of treacherous tears threatened to escape as she leaned into his large, comforting frame. Maybe she should let go and allow herself to become a sobbing, hysterical mess. 

Before that could happen, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She sat up as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Her eyes lit up as she read the newly arrived message.

“Wanda’s found something,” she told Thor, a smile daring to break through her gloomy expression. “We’ve gotta go back to Bleecker Street. Wanda might have the answer.” There was nothing in the message to chase away all of Carol’s fears but there was enough to fill her with the energy she had been lacking since the power-draining spell had been cast. 

She got to her feet and was about to head down the path back towards Bleecker Street but she paused. She looked back to Thor who was now stood up too. She gave him a smile and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you,” she told him as his arms wrapped around her to return the gesture. It was as if neither of them wanted to let go but both knew they couldn’t stay that way forever. 

Eventually the hug broke but Carol’s smile remained. “I’m sorry for being an ass.”

Thor shrugged one shoulder and smirked. “You’re no worse than the others.”

“Was that supposed to be a compliment? If it was, it was back-handed,” she said as they started their walk back to Strange’s place.

Thor’s smirk grew into a grin. “You’re easier to deal with than Barton,” he said. “Is that better for you?”

“I’m telling him you said that,” Carol said with a laugh.

Her problems weren’t completely dealt with but she believed she would find a way to cope better with them than before. Even if they remained powerless, with Thor by her side, she wouldn’t be hopeless.


End file.
